Looking for Love, in all the Wrong Places
by blackbeltchic
Summary: Set after season seven. Full details inside. Read and review please!


Title: Looking For Love in all the Wrong Places.  
  
Author: blackbeltchic  
  
Disclaimer: own nothing, so leave me alone!  
  
Note: This was thought up, after reading one of Bek's stories, using the same Challenge. The challenge is below, before the story. It's from . . . . I'm tired, and can't remember. Bek knows, and I can find out, if you wanna know.  
  
Challenge: Ok. Here's the thing. There are a lot of fics out there dealing with Buffy's angst the summer after she kills Angel. Her running away. Giles trying to find her. Yada yada yada. What Giles went through is more or less simply hinted at. Tiny shreds and bits. Innuendo. Hearsay from the Scoobies.  
  
There are lots of fics where Buffy is plagued by assorted nightmares and goes running to Giles. Either for comfort or for sleep overs because she is safe enough there to sleep.  
  
And sure. There have been mentions of his scars, but even that has been glossed over with a mild apology.  
  
So. What if it becomes necessary for Buffy to sleep over at Giles for a few days? For whatever reason: demon termites or possessed jell-o cups. Something she needed out of the house for. And so, once there she discovers that Giles has wicked bad nightmares about what Angelus did to him. Even after "all this time" and her thinking it was past and "forgotten". That some nights getting drunk is the only way he can deal without going insane or committing suicide.  
  
And then she finds him on his knees in the bathroom having vomited until there was blood...all from the nightmares. And she realizes for the first time just how much he has been drinking and how often. Just to survive. But at the same time he is there in only his boxers and she sees all the scars and for once simply puts her hand on his back and says, "Tell me".  
  
It would have to be a b/g of course. Sex is always good. It could be angst ridden but a sound, positive b/g in love finish. Wouldn't matter which season. In fact may be more powerful if it is much later so she realizes how long he has been in pain and been alone and she oblivious...while he was always there for her. And any people could be alive or not depending on the timeline? But maybe no Dawn. I never liked dawn. Or if dawn she is...elsewhere.  
  
So what do you think? Is it enough someone might wanna work with it? Sus  
  
Looking for love in all the wrong places  
  
"Ok, so.Willow and Kennedy." Buffy looked at the group around her, while holding enough room keys to pair them up. She began dolling out room assignments. "Dawn, and Rona, try not to influence her, ok, Rona? Xander and Andrew." she was left holding one key. "There's one room left. Who'd I forget?" She asked as people shuffled away to their assigned rooms. Soon only she and Giles populated the hallway. "Oh, uh..."  
  
"hugh." He coughed.  
  
"Oh, what's the big deal? Really? We're both adults." She said, covering up her discomfort.  
  
"Uh, yes. Right." They began to walk towards the room. Once there, Giles sat Buffy in a chair. "Let me see." He indicated her stab wound. She took off the quick bandaging and let him check it."  
  
"This is deep, Buffy." He said, concerned.  
  
"It went all the way through." She grimaced, his callused hands soft on her skin.  
  
"Indeed." He looked around the room after re-wrapping her side. "I think you should take the bed."  
  
"NO, you have seniority."  
  
"I insist, Buffy. You are wounded, and there for you should take the bed. I'll be fine on the floor. I suggest we both get some rest." He said, un- tucking his shirt. He turned from her and took off the shirt completely.  
  
She looked at his bare back and saw so many scars. "what's this from?" She asked as she traced three scars down his back with light fingers.  
  
"I got that trying to find you. Demon I summoned said he knew where you were. Then he tortured me. It seems that he had always wanted to kill a slayer, and torturing a watcher was on the list as well."  
  
"And this one?" She traced another, this one going from shoulder to opposite hip.  
  
"Angelus." She could hear the pain in his voice.  
  
"I'm sorry I never could finish him off for you."  
  
"Are you sorry that you hid him from me?"  
  
"Yes." She looked at the carpet.  
  
"God, Buffy, what had you been thinking? Didn't you respect me enough to tell me that my torturer was back?" he ranted, but then he collected himself. "He broke three ribs, four fingers, my arm and a collarbone. And then, as if the broken bones weren't enough, he gave me reminders of our time together here," he turned to face her. "on my skin." She could see the scars made from shallow cuts, much like Dawn's, to keep the blood flowing, and to keep the victim conscious.  
  
"And every night, in here." He tapped his head. "Dreams so horrible and terrifying, I can feel the pain."  
  
"I'm sorry." She said, turning from him so he wouldn't see her tears. "But we all have memories. Scars." She told him. "Like staking yourself, or getting bit. Or dying, and then coming back. Not always by choice." She muttered.  
  
While she was talking, he went to his bag and slipped out a flask, and took a sip before stowing it away in his pocket for later. He always needed it, to stop the feelings from coming; the hopelessness, the need for it all to end, everything.  
  
"Drinking isn't good for you, Giles." She surprised him. He hid the flask deep into his pocket. It was his business what he did and didn't do.  
  
"It's enough to dull the pain." He retorted.  
  
"Giles.." She said, sliding up to him, and taking the flask from his pocket.  
  
"Bu-"  
  
"NO. I care about you too much to let you do this to yourself." She said, looking up at him. He sputtered, and she silenced him by placing a finger on his lips. "No. don't" she looked up at him, green eyes large and innocent, glistening with unshed tears.  
  
He bent down and touched his lips to hers. She went up onto her toes to deepen the kiss.  
  
~ * ~  
  
He was floating on a sea of white. Everything was alright. He slowly swam towards consciousness, and became aware of two things. One, he hadn't had a paralyzing nightmare. And two, there was a woman in his arms. He slowly opened his eyes to see the sun highlighting the blond head next to his. She rolled over in his arms, and there was his beloved slayer. She was so innocent and beautiful-  
  
OH GOD!  
  
BAD! VERY BAD!  
  
He tried to inch away from her, but she stirred.  
  
"hi." She murmured, opening her eyes.  
  
"Uh..did I-I didn't- uh.."  
  
"What?" she smiled at him.  
  
"I-I didn't take advantage of you last night, did I?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then.what happened?"  
  
"We're both adults, Rupert," she tried out his first name, rolling it about on her tongue. "I think we both know what happened." She teased. She played with a strand of his hair absently.  
  
"But..uh.."  
  
"Do you really think we would have ended up here, if I hadn't wanted us to?" she asked, almost challenging him.  
  
"N-no."  
  
"Good." She snuggled down into the warm covers.  
  
"So, uh.what's next?" He asked, rolling onto his back. She placed her head on his chest.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Is this a one night thing?" he hoped not. It felt so good, just lying there, with her next to him.  
  
"I don't know." She sighed. "We'd better get up. It would be inappropriate, and sorta traumatizing if any of the girls saw us like this." She sighed again, moving to get up.  
  
"Buffy, wait!" He placed a hand on her arm, taking a deep breath. He had to say it, now. Or he may never get the courage again. "I..l-love you." He stuttered. "And I have since I lost you to Glory. Maybe before that." She looked down at his from her half standing, half kneeling position, her vibrant green eyes shining. "It wasn't until I had lost you and being faced with never seeing you again did I realize just how much I loved you."  
  
"I love you too!" she smiled at him.  
  
~ * ~  
  
"Ok, new hotel, old rooming buddies, unless there are any problems?" Buffy asked, handing out room keys. Everyone shook their heads. "Good. Then I'll see you all bright and early tomorrow." She smiled as everyone dispersed to their rooms. She walked backwards slowly towards her own room, with Giles following her. She allowed him to take her into his arms and she closed the door.  
  
~ * ~  
  
What do you guys think? This is my first shot at writing a BeeGee fic, as they're called, besides Not a Day Goes By, but that's only Giles, not Buffy as well. I might have that one up, so . . . . . . .  
  
Read and Review Please! 


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